Means for making electrical connection with railway rails



Jan. 3, 193 9. G. GORT 2,142,586

MEANS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH RAILWAY RAILS Filed July 19, 1938 INVENTOR God/)3 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3; 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Godfrey Gort, Chicago, 111., asslgnor to Western .Baiiroad Supply Company, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 19, 1938, Serial No. 219,968

'iCiaims.

This invention relates to improved means of making an electrical connection with a railway rail, many of such connections usually being in the shape of bonds from one rail to the next adjacent one.

In my Patent 2,092,505, issued September 7, i937, I have shown and described a form of rail bond and its method of application. My present application is directed to an improved manner ill of attaching the rail bond of said patent, or bonds of a similar nature to a rail.

One object of the invention is to provide an electrical connection with the railway rail which will make very intimate contact with the rail.

Another object of my,- invention is to provide an electrical connection with the rail which may be quickly applied and readily removed when a suitable tool is used for the purpose.

Other and further objects will be clear to one familiar with, devices of this kind, after a reading of the specification taken with the drawing, in

which:

Figure l is a view looking down on the top of two rail ends, showing one of the bonds connected $5 to one rail, while the other end of the bond is indicated in position ready to be installed.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure I.

Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of Figures 1 and 2, showing a partial installation of the connection.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure .3, but showing the completed connection.

Figure 5 is a view on the line 5-4 of Figure 4.

In the different views, wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts, I and 2 illustrate the ball portion of two rails, the web and flanges not being shown. Near the end of each rail is provided a hole 3, the hole being of suitable depth and diameter. The bond itself is made up of suitable metal strips 4 of good conducting material, such as copper, all as described in my patent heretofore mentioned.

To each end of the conductor strips 4 is attached a terminal I which may be made and attached to the strip 4 in the manner set forth in said patent herein referred to. As disclosed in said patent, the terminal 5 terminates in a cup-shaped lug O which is adapted to flt into the holes 3 in the rail. I

To attach the bond or a conductor to which the terminal I is connected to a rail, the cupshaped portion 0 of the terminal is placed in the hole I prepared for it in the rail, and then a metal plug Iisdrivenintothec'up. Thepluglhasa flange head 8 which extends a substantial distance beyond the flange l of the terminal 5, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The shank of the plug- 1 is provided with a plurality of arcuately spaced and relatively sharp splines II which are adapted to 5 cut into the wall of the cup ,thereby splitting the interior wall of the metal cup and pressing it between adjacent splines Ill, and also forcing the metal of the cup into very intimate contact with the interior wall of the hole 3 in the rail. 10

The plug 1 is made of non-deformable material, such as steel, 'capable of taking a temper so that the splines, at least, may be hardened, preferably to a degree ofhardness greater than that of the rail itself. whereby they will function as above indicated, it being understood that the outside circumference around the edges of the splines I0 is materially greater than the normal inside diameter of the cup 6. The plug 1 has a tapered end I I so that the plug may be easily entered into the cup 6 of the terminal. When the bottom of the cup 8 is made with a normally inverted wall If, as disclosed in said patent and as indicated in Figure 3, this tapered end of the plug will reverse the bottom of the cup, all as described in said patent, and force the material of the bottom at 1the cup into engagement with the wall of the As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the splines in are preferablyarranged in a spiral manner so as to give a screw action to the plug as it is driven into the cup, which increases the surface contact between the plug, the cup and the wall of the hole 3 in the rail. When it is desired to disconnect the bond from the rail, a suitable pinch or claw-bar may be inserted under the flange 8 of the plug which overlaps the flange 9 of the terminal, and the plug forced out of'the hole.

While I have shown a terminal having a cup with a reversible bottom, this is not necessary, as 40 a cup-shaped lug may be used with a flat bottom or a rounded bottom as indicated in Figure 5 of said patent. Since the plug is made non-deformable, it may be used for successive installations.

It will be observed that it is very easy to install a bond or make electrical connection to a rail in the manner disclosed herein, since all that is needed to make the installation is a hammer to drive the plug 1 into position. Hence, it will be seen that the bond or electrical conductor may be quickly and securely attached to'the railafter the hole 3 has been made. In practice the bond is installed with the terminals I in the same straight line as shown in my patent heretofore referred to. r

What I claim is:

, 1. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail having a relatively shallow cylindrically shaped cavity therein; said means including a terminal of suitable material having a current-conductor fastened thereto, the terminal being cup-shaped to flt into the rail cavity, and a nondeformable plug having a flanged head to fit over the cup, and a plurality of arcuately spaced cutting splines extending along the shank of the plug, the said splines cutting into the metal of the terminal cup and forcing the displaced metal of the cup into very intimate contact with the wall of the cavity.

2. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail as set forth in claim 1, further defined in that the flanged head of the plug has a diameter materially greater than any part of the cup, whereby a withdrawal tool-space is left under the rim of the plug head.

3. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail as set forth in claim 1, further defined in that said cutting splines on the plug are spirally arranged on the shank of the plug for the purposes described.

4. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail as set forth in claim 1, further deflned in that the flanged head of the plug has a diameter materially greater than any part of the cup, whereby a withdrawal tool-space is left under the rim of the plug head, and said cutting splines on the plug are spirally arranged on the shank of the plug for the purposes described.

5. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail having a relatively shallow cylindrically shaped cavity therein; said means including a terminal of suitable material having a current conductor fastened thereto, the terminal being cup-shaped to flt into the rail cavity, and a nondeformable plug for driving into said cup arsasas when in the cavity, the plug having a plurality of arc'uately spaced longitudinally extending cutting splines hardened to a degree of hardness in excess of that of the rail, whereby when the plug is driven into the cup in the cavity, the material of the cup is forced into very intimate contact with the wall of the cavity.

6. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail having a relatively shallow cylindrically shaped cavity therein; said means including a terminal of suitable material having a current conductor fastened thereto, the terminal being cup-shaped. to fit into the rail cavity, and a nondefcrmable plug for driving into'said cup. the shank of the plug having arcuately spaced splines, the circumference of the plug, measured on the edge of the splines, being materially greater than the internal circumference of the cup, the splines cutting into the material of the cup and forcing it into very intimate contact with the wall of the cavity.

'1. Means for making electrical connection with a railway rail having a relatively shallow cylindrically shaped cavity therein; said means including a terminal of suitable material having a current conductor fastened thereto, the terminal being cup-shaped, to fit into the rail cavity, and a nondeformable plug for driving into said cup. the shank of the plug having arcuately spaced splinealthe circumference of the plug, measured on the edge of the splines, being materially greater than the internal circumference of the cup, the splines cutting into the material of the cup and forcing it into very intimate contact with the wall of the cavity, the cup having a flange and the plug having a flanged head larger in diameter than the cup flange for the purpose described, the said splines being spirally formed on the shank of the plug.

GODFREY GORT. 

